When I spoke with family friends about their experiences caring for parents with Alzheimer’s, their reflections highlighted the emotional toll, the daily adjustments, and the lessons they wish others knew.
The husband described the early stage as “an emotional rollercoaster.” His mother quickly began forgetting conversations, favorite foods, and even how to respond to gifts. “She doesn’t even understand what it means when we bring her things now,” he shared.
The wife, going through a similar experience with her mom, remembered not understanding the first signs. Her mother had always managed the household, but small instances such as forgetting visitors’ names, losing track of calls, and misplacing object, slowly grew more serious. “Maybe we ignored her symptoms… if we were aware these could be signs, we could have taken her to the hospital earlier,” they admitted. However, It is difficult to recognize these symptoms at the time, and families should not blame themselves for missing what is so easy to overlook.
Since both family members are in a different country as their parents, it becomes hard to help them in ways people of close proximity can. “It’s hard to do anything when you’re far away,” one person admitted, though they make frequent calls and send photos to help their kids and them stay connected to the family member with the disease. Other ways they try to help are by reminding them of old memories: “We constantly remind her of what we did last summer, two years back… keeping her engaged helps her feel present.”
When both family members were asked what they wished more people understood, they emphasized awareness. “Forgetting things is not always just age… it can be the first sign of something serious,” one said. Another added, “If we had some knowledge of this disease earlier, maybe we could have done something much before.”
These real life experiences show how Alzheimer’s changes daily life not only for the person affect but their families as well. They also highlight the importance of patience, support, and recognizing signs as early as possible. I learned a lot about how the families of Alzheimer’s patients cope with this disease, and I hope to learn much more in the near future.
- Devanshi Mohapatra